Golf-ball trap for golf putting practice.



C. W. JOHNSON.

GOLF BALL TRAP POR GOLF PUTTING PRACTICE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE ze, 1909.

954,299. Patented Apr.5, 1910.

`Securely held 1n place by CHARLES WILLIAM JOHNSON, OF EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND.

GOLF-BALL TRAP FOR GOLIEI PUTTING PRACTICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 5, 1910.

Application filed June 26, 1909. Serial No. 504,602.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLE WILLIAM Jonxsox, a subjectvv of the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and resident of 1 Gardners Crescent, Edinburgh, Scotland, balloon-maker and sporting-games manufacturer, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Golf-Ball Traps for Golf Putting Practice, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in golf ball traps and is primarily intended to provide a device, which will permit the practice of golf putting either in or out of doors.

The art of putting in the game of golf requires constant practicevto render a player proeient, and it often happens that the player is unable to have access to a putting green, and is thus prevented from practicing. However with the present 1nvention, the player is enabled to practice either on a lawn or indoors or in fact at any place where a level space may be found.

A further object of my invention 1s to overcome the necessity of locating a hole at the center of the putting green by providing a ortable trap which may be any suitable means, and which may be readily removed to ermit the puttlng green to be repaire or placed in proper condition.

The invention comprises, broadly speaking, a base having an upright spindle, over which loosely fits a tubular standard. This standard carries a surrounding fringe which terminates a short distance above the level of the base. When in actual use the vdevice is placed at the center of the putting green or in an equivalent location. The

all upon being putted, if it is accurately directed, will strike against the pendent fringe and 'force the same inward. Imlnediately upon the ball passing into the center of trap, the fringe will assume its normal position, and the` ball will be held entrapped.

Further objects and advantages will appear from the foregoing descrlption with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention, Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the base, and the lower portion of the slidingl standard, and Fig. 3 shows a modifcat-ion of Fig. l.

In the accompanying drawing wherein like reference letters indicate like parts' throughout the different views, A designates a tubular standard, which is loosely mounted on the spindle e, (see Fig. 2). The spindle" e has an annular base E, the central prtion of the base member being dome-shaped as at e. This base E is adapted to support the standard A,lwhich in order to conform to the dome-shaped central portion of the base E has its lower end flared outwardly as at a, see Fig. 2. Radiating wires B are secured to the standard A, the free or outer ends thereof being fastened to the ring C. A suitable pendent fringe is secured to the ring C, which forms a ball receiving chamber about said standard. In the preferred embodiment of my invention th1s fringe comprises a plurality of wires D, which are pivotally secured at their upper ends to the ring C. A seiies of supporting arms o are also secured to the ring C at spaced intervals, and have a check member or ring e attached to their lower ends, which is positioned on the outside of and adjacent to the pendent strips or wires D.

From the above description the operation and function of my invention will be seen to be as follows. On putting the ball at the trap the ball brushes the pendent wires D inward and as soon as the ball has entered the trap the wires swing back to their normal position. The ball, once within the trap, is prevented from rolling out by means of the check ring 0 which prevents the outward movement of the wires D. However, to permit the ball to be removed from the trap, the standard A which, as has heretofore been stated, is loosely mounted on the spindle c, is raised by hand and as the pendent wires or fringe D together with the supporting rings C and o are carried by the standard A, they will likewise be raised, thus permitting the removal of the ball. At times, however, it may be diiicult to remove the ball, after the standard has been raised, and to obviate any trouble of this sort, the standard A is provided at its base with a {iared or Hanged portion a, so that upon raising the standard an impetus will be lven 'to the ball causing it to roll out o the trap without any effort on the part ofthe operator.-

InFig. 3, which shows a modified form of my invention, I have shown lthe base Ea having a bracket-sha ed arm F3 secured thereto. This arm F3 as a bearing formed in its upper end to slidably receive the standard A3. In this construction the standard A3 has a shoulder Ms which is adapted to limit the downward movement of the standard while the extreme lower end of the standard is provided with a flange D3 to prevent the displacement of the standard when the same is raised. .In this construction the formation` and arrangement of the pendent -wires or strips D and the radiating arms and rings are substantially` the same as in Fig. 1. l

It will be obvious that I may' form the pendent strips of any suitable material and that the configuration of .the assembled pendent members need not necessarily be circular, but'may be made up in whatever shape desired. .l l

Having thus ,described my invention, what I claim as new 'therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l 1. In a device of the 'class described, the

combination with a base, a standard slidably secured thereto, of a pendent. fringe secured about said standard and forming a ball receiving chamber.

'2. In a device of the class described, a base, a standard secured thereto, a series of pendent members connected to and forming a chamber about said standard, whereby -a ball may be passed into said chamber, and

means coperating with the said members for retaining the Aball therein.

3. In a golf ball trap, the combination of a ball receiving chamber, a circular series of pendentmeansforming the walls of said their normal 'of a base, a standard sli chamber, and constructed and arranged 'to freely swing inward,4 and means for preventing` them from swinging outward from osition.

i4. In a"*dev1ce of the class described, the combination with a base, of a standard verticallymovable relative to said base, pendent means forming a ball receiving chamber and a check member coperating withv said pendent means, to prevent the escape of the ball from the chamber and means for automatically forcing the` ball out of said cham-v ber when the standard is raised.

5. In a device for trapping golf balls, the combination with pendent membersforming a ball receiving chamber, of vertically movable means for supporting' said members and provided with means for simultanegusly discharging the ballfro'm the cham- 6. In a device of the class described, the combination with a base, of a standard movably supported on saidv base and having a flared end portion and pendent strips connected to and forming a ball receiving chamber about said standard. c

7. In a device of the class described, the combination with a supporting member, a plurality of pendent strls secured thereto ably connected to said base, and rigidly attached to said supporting member.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination with' a standard, a circular series of pendent members connected thereto, of rigid means secured to said standardl and surrounding said pendent vmembers, whereby saidmembers are prevented from outward movement. 4

CHARLES WILLIAM JOHNSON. Witnesses:

THOMAS HAN'roN, JAMES YATE JOHNSON. 

